[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 18]
[Senate]
[Page 24183]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION

  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, the annual Armed Forces authorization bill 
will soon be the subject of further debate in the Senate at a time to 
be decided upon by the distinguished majority leader in consultation 
with the distinguished Democratic leader. I wish to thank each of them 
for their long, consistent, and arduous effort to bring this bill up 
for what I anticipate will be a successful resolution to the bill, with 
final passage in this Senate in coming weeks. Senator Levin and I have 
been on this committee for some 27 years together. We are ready.
  Given that the unanimous consent was accepted by the Senate, both 
committee staffs are actually at this time working on amendments and 
other matters in preparation for the future consideration of this bill 
by the Senate. I urge Senators who might wish to have amendments 
discussed, first, to listen to the terms of the unanimous consent 
agreement and study those. Flexibility is given to the managers to 
reach a joint agreement for Members that have amendments not covered 
explicitly in the numerical amounts in the unanimous consent.
  The committee staffs are working. I urge Senators to bring to Senator 
Levin and myself such matters as they may be interested in, and we will 
do our very best to accommodate Senators.
  This Nation is at war. Each day we find in our hearts compassion for 
those we have lost, those on the battlefields today--not just in Iraq 
and Afghanistan but all throughout the world--and their families at 
home.
  I thank our leaders for passing that unanimous consent, and I 
encourage Senators to submit their amendments and bring them to our 
attention.
  The committee met this week. We reported out the intelligence 
authorization bill. That, hopefully, will be a joint referral to the 
Committee on Government Operations. There is provision in that bill 
which was clearly within the jurisdiction of that committee. I am very 
fortunate to have on the Committee on Armed Services both the chairman, 
Chairman Collins, and the ranking member, Senator Lieberman, as well 
as, of course, Senator Roberts. During the course of our deliberations 
yesterday, we quickly recognized it would be appropriate to be referred 
to that committee the intelligence bill with regard to that provision. 
That is progress we have made this week.
  I am also pleased the committee pointed out a number of nominees for 
important civilian posts and, indeed, military posts in our Department 
of Defense. I understand some have been worked on today, and I will 
check to see whether other nominations can be cleared.
  I am proud to say the Committee on Armed Services was very active 
this week. We have a charter now. We are back in business. I am very 
pleased that the prospects are we will pass our legislation.
  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I turn to another matter.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator may proceed.
  (The remarks of Mr. Warner pertaining to the introduction of S. 1939 
are located in today's Record under ``Statements on Introduced Bills 
and Joint Resolutions.'')
  Mr. WARNER. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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